


This Isn't You

by nobutigotcheezwhiz



Category: Pentatonix, Superfruit
Genre: (but not really because they were friends in high school), Alternate Universe - High School, Anxiety, Gender Dysphoria, M/M, Trans Male Character
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-30
Updated: 2017-04-30
Packaged: 2018-10-25 20:33:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,847
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10771917
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nobutigotcheezwhiz/pseuds/nobutigotcheezwhiz
Summary: I just want to help him, but first he has to let me.(or the one where Mitch is a huge people pleaser and Scott knew it would get them in trouble someday but not like this)





	This Isn't You

**Author's Note:**

> 6/30/17 - Finally edited mistakes. Still deciding whether this will be multi-part or not.

"You guys, I really don't think this is a good idea," I said, a nervous feeling growing in the pit of my stomach. This wasn't right, we shouldn't have been doing it.

"It'll be fine!" Kirstie exclaimed, holding out the "i" in fine way to long. She absently snipped the scissors she held in the air. Open-closed open-closed open-closed. Snip-snip snip-snip snip-snip. "What could go wrong?" She said, checking on Mitch where he sat on a tarp with a towel around his shoulders, probably to make sure he was still doing okay. "It can't be that hard."

"Yeah, it's not like people go to school for this specific type of thing for years!" I said sarcastically.

"What, do you not trust me?" Kirstie said jokingly, crossing the room and messing up my hair.

I yelped and pulled away, scowling at her. "No, I don't! I think if he wants to cut his hair he should go to someone who knows what they're doing!"

"Um, hi, I'm right here?" Mitch said.

"I'm sorry, Mitchy. But really, shouldn't you be getting this done professionally?"

Mitch looked down. "Maybe so, but...I don't have the money, and if my parents pay they won't let me cut it short." He rubbed part of his hair between his thumb and his finger, looking back up at me. "Just let her do it, alright? I want it short. It can't be that bad."

"Thanks, Mitchy," Kirstie smiled.

"Fine. Get your hair cut in the Kirstie's Basement Salon for all I care," I huffed.

"Ooh, I like it, Scott!" Kirstie gushed. "Wait...Kirstin's Salon Basement! That sounds better, don't you think?" When neither of us responded, she groaned. "Oh my God, you two, stop being babies! It's just hair!"

"Easy for you to say," grumbled Mitch.

"So, tell me how you wanted it again?"

Kirstie brought the scissors to a chunk of his hair right in the front. Mitch watched out of the corner of his eye so intensely I could practically see his gaze. She made the cut, and a good long 7-inch strand fell to the tarp.

There was no going back now.

Kirstie spent much longer on Mitch's hair than we had thought she would. At one point I had to shoo her mother away (she was offering snacks or something, I was more interested in getting her away) and posted myself as the door guard, although she didn't come back after that.

"Done," Kirstie said finally. She stepped back, admiring her work. "Scott? Wanna take a look?"

I practically leapt to stand next to Kirstie and stared at Mitch, my mouth dropping about 5 stories. She really had done a good job, you could hardly tell he was the same person. It was stunning. "Wow, Kirst, he looks...amazing!"

"And you doubted me," Kirstie said, sticking out her tongue.

"I wanna see, I wanna see!" Mitch begged, bouncing up and down like a hyperactive puppy.

"To the bathroom!" Kirstie announced. We followed her upstairs and to the bathroom.

When Mitch saw himself he stopped. Covered his mouth. Giggled. "I look like a boy," he whispered. Kirstie and I shared a grin.

I looked back at his reflection and could barely see the tears glinting in his eyes. I stopped looking at the Mitch in the mirror and took a second to look at real Mitch before wrapping him in my arms. "You look like a very handsome boy," I muttered to reassure him. It was the truth.

Kirstie soon followed suit. Mitch, now a Mitch sandwich, couldn't stop staring at himself. "Thank you," he whispered, his voice a higher frequency than normal. "Thank you so much."

"Do you want to look at the back, too?" Kirstie asked. Mitch nodded. Kirstie handed him a compact mirror, and Mitch stared at the back, even happier.

I couldn't help but wonder how soft it was. It looked soft. Unable to resist any longer, I ran my fingers through Mitch's newly chopped hair. "It feels nicer, too," I chuckled.

"Kirst, you're the best," Mitch gasped. He smiled at us, looking back and forth. "You both are. I'm the happiest boy in the world."

***

_9:43 PM_  
_M: are u home yet?_

Mitch and I had left Kirstie's relatively late, but that wasn't too uncommon. We lived pretty close so I had been able to walk Mitch home, which he had tried to brush off even though could tell he needed it badly.

_9:43 PM  
S: Yeah_

_9:44 PM  
M: are ur parents home?_

_9:45 PM  
S: Yeah, why_

_9:45 PM  
M: i didnt think the whole hair thing through very well..._

_9:45 PM  
S: Uh oh do you not like it_

_9:45 PM  
S: I told you this would happen_

_9:46 PM  
M: no i love it_

_9:46 PM  
M: but i cant say the same for my parents_

_9:46 PM  
S: Oh honey_

_9:47 PM  
S: What happened_

I knew Mitch's parents could be strict at times. I also knew his parents were homophobic, though that didn't necessarily mean anything unless...

What I didn't know was how they would react. And that scared me a little bit.

_9:51 PM  
S: Mitch are you ok_

_9:52 PM  
S: You're scaring me_

My heart started to pound. Where had he gone? Was he okay?

_9:53 PM  
M: yeah im ok_

I sighed in relief

_9:53 PM  
M: theyre really mad tho its scaring me_

_9:54: PM  
S: Oh Mitchy I'm so sorry_

_9:55 PM  
M: im scared scott they wont leave me alone_

_9:55 PM  
M: could u ask ur parents if i could stay with u tonight?_

_9:55 PM  
S: Yes honey ofc_

_9:55 PM  
M: im sorry 2 bother u but i dont think i can do the whole night here_

_9:55 PM  
S: It's ok you're not a bother_

I stood up and left for the living room where my parents sat watching tv. "Mom? Dad?"

The tv paused, heads turned. "Yes, Scotty?"

"Can Mi-" I cleared my throat. We hadn't told my parents yet, and I kept forgetting. "Can...L-Laurie...spend the night?" Calling him Laurie was unfamiliar at this point, I had tried so hard to make a habit of calling him Mitch and breaking it felt so wrong.

Mom nodded. "I don't see why not, as long as her parents are okay with it. And you make plans in advance next time."

I nodded and rushed back to my room, ignoring her little mom-lesson.

_9:55 PM  
M: im sorry_

_9:55 PM  
M: ty_

_9:58 PM  
S: It's ok don't worry_

_9:58 PM  
S: You can come_

_9:58  
M: omg tysm tysm!!_

_9:58 PM  
S: Are you gonna tell them_

_9:58 PM  
M: maybe?_

_9:59 PM  
M: will they tell my parents?_

_9:59 PM  
S: Not if we tell them not to_

_9:59 PM  
S: Do you want me to walk you_

_10:00 PM  
M: no ill be ok c u in 5_

I closed my phone and rubbed my eyes of a building headache. I could only hope Mitch was okay. Just five more minutes. Then I'd know. Then I could help.

I ran to the window, staring outside like a dog, waiting for Mitch. It was raining now. I can't make him walk alone in the rain, I told myself. I should walk out there and meet him in the middle, maybe bring a jacket or umbrella or something to shelter him for at least part of the walk.

Shut up, Scott. You're doing the Worry Thing again.

Once Mitch rounded the corner I couldn't help it. I grabbed my jacket and ran out to meet him. Once he saw me he rolled his eyes. "I said you didn't have to walk me!" He yelled, laughing.

"My apologies for being considerate!" I giggled, running over to hold the jacket over his head. In hindsight I realized that the jacket maybe wasn't the best idea.

"You're such a dork," he sighed.

"Without me you'd be soaked, so you're welcome," I countered.

"I'm soaked already," he mumbled, and after looking him up and down I could see that it was true.

"Well, then we'll have to get you dried off, huh?" I grinned.

"Yeah, good luck," he scoffed. We had reached the porch, and I went to open the door. "Wait."

I turned around, my hand falling back to my side. "What is it?"

He took in a deep breath, his fingers creeping up to his chin. "I don't know if I can do this."

"Of course you can," I said. "Remember when you told me and Kirst?"

"Yeah, well, that was really hard, and I knew you guys would accept me."

"They'll accept you. They're not like your-" I stopped myself. Don't say that. "They're not like other people."

But it was too late, Mitch knew what I was gonna say, and, frankly, he looked like I just stabbed him in the chest. Which, okay, I may as well have. Weren't his parents the whole reason he was here?

I opened my mouth to apologize but he brushed me off before I could, walking down the steps and sitting on the edge of the driveway. _Shit_. Now I'd done it.

I walked behind him and put a hand on his shoulder, one that he rolled out of. "Mitch. Mitch, I'm so-"

"Just give me a few minutes!" He snapped.

Something about the way he yelled at me took me back, because rarely did he speak to me like that. I crouched down, putting a hand on each shoulder, and he tensed and tried to wriggle away. "Hey, Mitch. You'll be fine in there. Don't worry."

He stopped.

"Take some deep breaths, calm yourself down, and just get it over with." I rubbed his arms. "You'll be fine, I'll protect you."

Mitch giggled.

"I'm sorry about what I... _almost_ said. Do you want to go do this now?"

Mitch nodded. "Let's do this before I chicken out again."

I pulled him up and didn't let go of his hand as we approached and entered the door.

My mom was in the kitchen, and I didn't know why because it was a quarter after 10. "Hey Laurie," she said. "Oh, I like your hair, when did you get it cut?"

Mitch gave me an uneasy look. I smiled back, squeezing his hand.

"Th-thanks, I...actually, I got it done today."

Mom smiled. "It's very cute on you."

Dad walked up to Mitch. "Laurie!" He said, shaking Mitch's shoulder.

"Hi, Rick," Mitch said. He was trying to smile, and mostly it was working, but I could tell it wasn't genuine. It wasn't authentic. It wasn't Mitch.

"So, what's new in Laurie's life?" Mom asked.

Mitch looked at me, and I nodded.

"Well, first off, my name isn't Laurie."

My parents stared, confused. He took a deep breath.

"It's Mitch. I'm transgender."


End file.
